Accident Summary
An airplane experienced a hard landing in a nose-down attitude, which led to a series of three bounces before the aircraft departed the side of the runway and subsequently impacted a ditch. The pilot did not initiate a go-around until after the third bounce; however, the airplane impacted the ground a fourth time, prompting the pilot to abandon the go-around attempt.
Damage Assessment
The impact forces drove all three landing gear upward through the airplane's structure. Additionally, the tail tie-down ring was also forced through the structure.
Load Information
At the time of the accident, the pilot had loaded the airplane with 560 pounds of concrete blocks and a sack of concrete, intended to simulate a load.